ZURICH (CelebrityAccess) Helmut Fest, 69, former managing director of EMI, died at a Zurich hospital Aug. 21.
Fest, born in Cologne, began his career at EMI Electrola in Cologne, according to Billboard, and became the manager of the Motown label in Germany where he worked with artists like Marvin Gay, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations, the trade magazine said. He became general manager of artist & repertoire in 1976, then director artist & marketing international.
He would eventually be responsible for all worldwide activities outside of North America for A&R and marketing. He began his own company, Festplatte AG, in Zurich in 2003.
Fest reportedly had been receiving treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
